India's leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar will miss this month's one-day series against Zimbabwe to undergo treatment for knee trouble, an Indian cricket official said on Saturday.

"Tendulkar has some problem with his knees and he has to do exercises to strengthen them," Niranjan Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said after naming a 14-player squad for the first three games in the five-match series.

India's selectors hope Tendulkar will return refreshed from his break for a busy international schedule that includes back-to-back Test

tours of West Indies and England starting early next month.

Shah said in a statement that Tendulkar's knee trouble, which he described as not serious, began during the home series against England late last year.

But Shah was confident Tendulkar would be available for the tour to West Indies after undergoing physiotherapy treatment and prescribed rest.

The 28-year-old Tendulkar, widely recognised as the world's leading batsman, has played nonstop international cricket since making his debut 13 years ago and has suffered back problems in the past due to wear and tear.

India's selectors have also rested experienced paceman Javagal Srinath for the five-match series against Zimbabwe after the bowler

requested a break, Shah said.

Tinu Yohannan has been brought in to replace Srinath in the one-day squad while batsman Rahul Dravid returns to the side after missing the recent series at home to England to receive treatment for shoulder trouble.

The one-day series starts in the northern Indian town of Faridabad on March 7, followed by matches at Mohali (March 10), Cochin (March 13), Hyderabad (March 16) and Guwahati (March 19).

SQUAD

Sourav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Vangipurappu Laxman, Dinesh Mongia, Sanjay Bangar, Mohammad Kaif, Ajay Ratra, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Tinu Yohannan, Harbhajan Singh, Sharandeep Singh, Anil Kumble.